Morning Symphony: Tough-as-nails badgers, domestic life with actress Sienna Miller, and a harsh reality check for new homeowners
The Bank of England trimmed interest rates on Thursday, an attempt to boost the property market before the impending Stamp Duty increase in April. Meanwhile, in the world of wildlife, the UK's badger population has been a subject of interest and concern for different reasons.
Badgers are more numerous now than they were in the past, due to extensive protection. This increased population has led to conflicts with both hedgehogs and cattle farmers, but the reasons for these clashes are complex.
For cattle farmers, badgers are considered a significant wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a contagious and serious cattle disease. The presence of infected badgers can spread bTB to cattle, leading to costly livestock losses and restrictions on farms. This has prompted government-led badger culling programs aimed at reducing badger populations in certain areas to lower disease spread, although culling is controversial and sometimes contested on animal welfare and ecological grounds.
Regarding hedgehogs, the perceived problem is more nuanced. Although badgers are predators of hedgehogs and can kill them, scientific research and conservation groups indicate that badgers are not the leading cause of hedgehog population declines in the UK. Hedgehog numbers have fallen sharply in recent decades primarily due to multiple human-induced factors like habitat loss, road traffic, pesticide use, and fragmentation. The decline occurs even in areas without badgers, suggesting that blaming badgers alone oversimplifies the issue.
Badgers themselves play important ecological roles: their digging helps soil health and setts create habitats for other species, meaning their population dynamics impact broader ecosystems.
One of the badgers photographed by Ian Wood, a photographer who set up a hide in St Leonards-on-Sea to photograph badgers, paused to look at a Banksy-inspired badger street art. This photograph won the People's Choice award in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
St Leonards-on-Sea, a Sussex seaside town, has a large population of Eurasian badgers. It is home to many residents, including actress Sienna Miller, who bought a property there at the age of 25.
In the digital realm, Toby Keel, the Digital Director of the platform, manages the website and social media channels since 2016. Toby writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, and nature. Readers are encouraged to read Christopher Wallace's piece on the life of photographer Peter Beard. The platform's website and social media channels will be back on Monday.
In summary, badgers' increasing or stable populations intensify conflicts with cattle farmers because of bTB transmission risks, while their role in hedgehog decline is minor compared to human-related environmental pressures. Culling badgers is a response to livestock disease control pressures, whereas hedgehog conservation requires broader habitat and environmental management beyond addressing badger predation.
[1] Government-led badger culling programs: https://www.gov.uk/badger-culling [2] Hedgehog population declines: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-us/research-and-evidence [3] Impact of badgers on cattle farmers: https://www.nfuonline.com/find-advice/animal-health-and-welfare/disease-and-illness/bovine-tuberculosis/badgers-and-bovine-tuberculosis
- The Bank of England's interest rate trim on Thursday, aimed at boosting the property market before the Stamp Duty increase in April, might find seepage into the general-news section, given its potential economic impact, alongside discussions about property and finance.
- In the realm of lifestyle content, Toby Keel, the Digital Director of the platform, manages the website and social media channels since 2016. Apart from property and cars, Toby also writes about entertainment, travel, and nature, introducing diverse topics that cater to a wide range of interests.
